lebbeus simkists



' L. SIMKINS.

(ModeL) FRUIT PIGKBR.

Patented Dec. 12, 1882.

INVENTOR:

BY. M

ATTORNEYS.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

' LEBBEUS SIMKINS, OF MAR-SHFIELD, OREGON;

FRUlT -PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,950, dated December 12, 1832.

Applicationfiled November 8,1880. (ModeL) fication.

The figure is a sectional elevation of my improvement.

The object of this invention is to furnish fruit-pickers so constructed as to permit the removal of the fruit from the tree without injuring it; and it consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more fully setlforth.

- A represents a hollow pole of any desired length and having short tubes B U attached to its ends, H

To the outer end of thelower tube, 0, is attached a short handle, D. To one side of the upper end of the tube B is attached a short arm, E, to the upper end of which is attached a semi-spherical cup, F. To the upper end of a short lever, G, is attached a similar semispherical cup, H. The cups F H are made with sharp edges, and are so arranged that the edge of the one cup may overlap the edge of the other cup when the two cups are brought together, so as to cut 011' the stem of the fruit and receive the fruit within them. The lower part of the lever G is pivoted to lugs L, formed upon or attached to the side of the tube B, and its lower end is bent inward at right angles, passes through a slot in the side of the tube B, and to it is pivoted the upper end of a rod, I, which passes down through the cavity of the poleA and into the cavity of the lower tube, 0, where it is pivoted to a lever, J.

The tube B is formed of a. strip of sheet metal bent into tubular form and having its edges brazed together. The blank sheet for the tube B has lips out upon its edges, and is slitted at the sides of the said lips, which lips are bent outward to form lugs L for the lever G to be pivoted to, and to serve as guides and supports to the said lever. In the opposite sides of the tube B are formed holes M, as shown in the figure, into which a pin, is inserted when it is desired to lock the cup-cutters EH closed to protect their edges from being dulled. The lever J passes through slots in the opposite sides of the tube 0, and its end is pivoted to lugs N, formed upon or attached ment.

to the said tube 0. The other end of the lever J- is bent downward along the side of the lower part of the tube 0, so that it can be 013- erated to bring the cup-cutters F H together by a hand'holding the said tube 0. The lugs N are formed in the same manner as hereinbefore described with reference to the lugs L. The lugs N, in connection with the slot 0 in the other side of the tube 0, serve as guides to the lever J to hold it against lateral move In the opposite sides of the tube (1 are formed holes P, into which a pin may be in serted tolock the cup-cutters F H closed, when the implement is to be laid away or carried, to protect the ed ge-s of the said cutters from ac cidental injury. This construction allows the implement to be held by both hands, so that it] the end of a spiral spring, K, the upper endof which is attached to the arm E, that carries I the stationary cup F, so that when the lever J is released the elasticity of the spring K may:

raise the rod I and operate the lever G to withdraw the cup H from the cup F.

With this implement fruit may be picked from the outer and top limbs of a tree, where r it could not be reached from a ladder or from the tree, and lowered to the ground or into a basket without being injured.

The implement may be made of any desired size, according to the size or the fruit to be picked.

p I am aware that both the cups of a fruitpicker have heretofore been closed by means of atoggle-joint operated by a rod secured to its lower end, and both thrown open by means of a spring; and I am also aware that the cups of a fruit-picker have heretofore been secured to the upper ends of spring-arms, and that saidcups have been closed by the action of a rod or cord and opened by the action of the springarms; and I am further aware that a fruitpicker consisting of hoops provided with flexible coverings, one of which hoops is stationary and the other closed upon it by means of a bent lever operated by a rod, and opened by the weight of the movable hoop, has heretofore been employed, and I therefore lay no claim to such constructions. In myinvention the edges of the cup are sharp, so as to readily cut the stern of the fruit, and one cup is stationary and of the levers G J, connecting-rod I, and spring K, substantially as described, and for the purpose set-forth.

2. In a fruit-picker, the combination, with the tubes B-(J, provided with the :holes MP, 15- adapted to'receive locking-pins, stationary cnp F, and movable cup H, of the levers GrJ and connecting-rod I, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

LEBBEUS SIMKINS.

Witnesses T. G. OWEN, D MORSE 

